Fundraising: Guiding Principles

Our commitment and responsibilities to our supporters and those we support.

Donor Charter

As a charity seeking donations from the public we ACT for Meningitis, aim to comply with the Statement of Guiding Principles for Fundraising. Our pledge is to treat all our donors with respect, honesty and openness.

We commit to being accountable and transparent so that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in ACT for Meningitis. We promise we will effectively apply your gifts to us for their intended purposes. We commit that you, our donors and prospective donors will:

Be informed of the organisation’s mission, and of the way the organisation intends to use donated resources.

Be informed of the identity of those serving on the organisation’s governing board, and that the board will exercise prudent judgement in its stewardship responsibilities.

Have access to the organisation’s most recent financial statements.

Be assured your gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.

Receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.

Be assured that information about your donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.

Expect that all relationships with individuals representing the charity will be dealt with professionally.

Be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organisation or hired third party agents.

Have easily available the agreed procedures for making and responding to complaints.

Have the opportunity for any names to be deleted from mailing lists and to be informed if the organisation intends to share the mailing lists with third parties.

Receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers to questions you might have of the organisation.

What to do if you have feedback

If you do have a comment about any aspect of our work, you can contact ACT for Meningitis in writing or by telephone. In the first instance, your comment will be dealt with by our Chief Executive. Please give us as much information as possible and let us know how you would like us to respond, providing relevant contact details.

Complaints procedure

Feedback & Complaints Procedure

ACT for Meningitis is committed to ensuring that all our communications and dealings with the general public and our supporters are of the highest possible standard. We listen and respond to the views of the general public and our supporters so that we can continue to improve. ACT for Meningitis welcomes both positive and negative feedback. Therefore we aim to ensure that: It is as easy as possible to make a complaint; We treat as a complaint any clear expression of dissatisfaction with our operations which calls for a response; We treat it seriously whether it is made by telephone, letter, fax, email or in person; we deal with it quickly and politely; We respond accordingly – for example, with an explanation, or an apology where we have got things wrong, and information on any action taken etc; We learn from complaints, use them to improve, and monitor them at our Board.

If you have feedback or a complaint Step One

If you do have a complaint about any aspect of our work, you can contact our Office Manager in writing or by telephone. In the first instance, your complaint will be dealt with by our Chief Executive. Please give us as much information as possible and let us know how you would like us to respond to you, providing relevant contact details. Write to: The Office Manager, Sarah Lynch, 7B Royal Rock , Ballybane industrial estate, Galway. Tel: 091 380058. Email: sarah@actformeningitis.ie. What happens next? If you complain in person or over the phone, we will try to resolve the issue there and then. Similarly, if you complain by email or in writing we will always acknowledge your complaint within 7 days, and do everything we can to resolve it within 21 days. If this is not possible, we will explain why and provide a new deadline.

What if the complaint is not resolved?

If you are not happy with our response, you may get in touch again by writing to the ACT for Meningitis Chairman. The Chairman will ensure that your appeal is considered at Board level and will respond within two weeks of this consideration by Board members.